NEIL WARNOCK admits Sol Bamba was disappointed at the manner of his summer release from Cardiff City - and feels the Bluebirds’ loss has been Middlesbrough’s gain.

Bamba spent five years as a Cardiff player, and was hoping to earn a new contract in the close season after battling back to full fitness following chemotherapy to treat his Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Instead, he discovered he was being released when Cardiff posted their retained list on Twitter, a snub that clearly hurt.

Warnock offered him the opportunity to train with Boro, and after it quickly became clear Bamba had lost none of his old ability, he was offered a deal with the Teessiders. As a result, he will head back to the Cardiff City Stadium tomorrow afternoon in the away ranks.

“I think he’ll have been disappointed with the circumstances of what happened,” said Warnock. “I must admit, I think he was disappointed with the way things played out. But that’s life, isn’t it? I never thought he’d come back as fit as this.

“His contract was up – they probably could have done it in a better way, but other than that, he had to move on. They’ve got young lads in the team, and have got quite a few centre-halves – I wish we had a few of them! We just have to move on now.”

Warnock managed both Bamba and Lee Peltier during his own time at Cardiff, and is delighted the duo have followed him to the North-East.

“Sol is Sol,” he said. “It’s the same with Pelts – they both say it is as it is and they don’t suffer fools gladly. Alright, they’re not captains, and Jonny Howson has his own way of dealing with things, but they help Jonny I’m sure.

“At half-time last week (against Peterborough), one or two things were said, and it’s good to have people like that. We’ve always been a little bit too quiet, so I’ve been pleased with their input, both on and off the field.

“Anybody that meets Sol, he can’t do enough for anybody. He’s always going to charity things and going around the areas, and Peltier is very similar. They’re two great lads – I’ve been very lucky to have these lads for a number of years in my dressing room.

“Yes, I take the mickey out of them both at times, for different reasons, and I’m sure they take the mickey out of me too behind my back. It’s great to have what I call ‘proper men’ in my dressing room. I always talk about, ‘Who do you want in the trenches with you?’ Well, I’d like Pelts at one side and Bamba at the other.”

With Boro’s four injured defenders set to be unavailable for at least another couple of weeks, Bamba and Peltier will remain in the side tomorrow.

Andraz Sporar is a doubt, though, after missing training on Thursday because of the muscular issue that forced his withdrawal against Barnsley.

Middlesbrough (probable, 3-4-1-2): Lumley; McNair, Bamba, Peltier; Tavernier, Crooks, Howson, Hernandez; Payero; Ikpeazu, Watmore.